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Thread: Manual Tranmissions

  1. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.
    My retirement present to me was a new truck to replace my 2003 Ford Ranger Edge with the 5-speed manual transmission. I didn't want a four-door truck because I wanted as much bed as possible for hauling stuff. Of all the trucks available in Germany (or maybe even Europe), only the Ford Ranger was available in two-door, super cab, or four-door version. All other manufacturers offered only the four-door version. My next challenge was finding a dealer who had what I wanted in stock so I didn't have to order it and wait six to nine months for delivery.

    I found a Ford dealer north of Frankfurt that had over 150 Rangers on it's lot. Over a dozen were two-door, a couple dozen were super cabs, and the rest were four doors. I bought the 2019 model year Ford Ranger Wildtrak super cab with a 3.2L 5-cylinder turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission (it has the parking brake handle between the seats).

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    When I had a car with the emergency brake as a pull up handle between the seats, I could handle that situation. Pull up the brake, let go of the foot brake (move that foot to the accelerator) and as you let out the clutch, drop the emergency brake handle.But for vehicles where the
    Mike
    Yes, of course. But its still annoying.

  3. #18
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    There are a lot of folks who enjoy manual transmissions, but the demand is pretty low in the overall marketplace these days. Even "supercars" are using automatics. Further, many of the current generation safety features in vehicle don't function with manual transmissions and even "base" level vehicles are getting those features. So yea...if you really, really want one, don't wait much longer...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #19
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    The Alison automatic in my truck, and the software that runs is, has been a quite impressive piece of equipment.

  5. #20
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    Steve

    I drove Toyota Trucks as the daily driver from 1985-2015. I loved their trucks. All of them manual.
    I also had the same feelings you do toward automatics, but eventually I resigned myself to the fact that my Tacoma was a very marginal tow vehicle fr a 2horse trailer, and moved up to a GMC Sierra Denali with an automatic. I don't think I know how to use 1/2 the features that are incorporated into that transmission
    Automatics have come a long way in the last decade or two, and you really should look into them.
    My other cars are Mini Coopers and no way I'll put an automatic in one of those.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    The Alison automatic in my truck, and the software that runs is, has been a quite impressive piece of equipment.

    Tom, remember where Alison transmissions were originally used. Hint, they were painted a puke green.

  7. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.
    Back in 1995 my dad and I leased our first truck for our business, an F-150, 2 doors, long bed. Before the lease was up half the state's auto dealers had an all-truck sale at the state fairgrounds, hundreds and hundreds of new trucks. Our parameters were: Ford, 2 wheel drive, V8, auto trans, air, long bed, 2 doors. It took over an hour to find out there was only ONE such truck there. We bought it.

    The shortage of regular cabs has been going on awhile. Almost as impossible to find is full-size truck with 2-wheel drive..
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  8. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Demuth View Post
    As nearly as I can tell, the only option left for a pickup truck with a manual transmission is a V6 Toyota Tacoma.

    This makes me feel like a real anachronism. I strongly favor manuals in my trucks. I'm looking at replacing a 2008 Tacoma potentially, and if I'm reading the cards right, I'd better do it this year, or there may be no choices at all.

    Anybody else feel this way? Did everybody but me actually decide trucks need automatic transmissions, so the market completely disappeared?
    Automatics have gotten so good that there’s no need for a stick any more. Anyway, that’s the official line. (Not your father’s slush box etc.) But the real story is, that computer control of shifting is more efficient at achieving the required fuel economy than you are. :^) FWIW, I wouldn’t disagree. If you want that degree of control, go for a vehicle with paddle shifting. Even in the case of a truck, you can still lock an auto trans into low or mid gear when you need it.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Dawson View Post
    Automatics have gotten so good that there’s no need for a stick any more. Anyway, that’s the official line. (Not your father’s slush box etc.) But the real story is, that computer control of shifting is more efficient at achieving the required fuel economy than you are. :^) FWIW, I wouldn’t disagree. If you want that degree of control, go for a vehicle with paddle shifting. Even in the case of a truck, you can still lock an auto trans into low or mid gear when you need it.
    The Allison transmission in my converted bus will shift up to a higher gear automatically if RPMs get too high even if I have manually selected a lower gear. This causes me issues when I want to use third gear because the Jake brake is most effective in third gear. If I don't select third gear before starting downhill the RPMs will often get too high and the transmission will go to 4th even though I have selected 3rd.

    I bet other modern automatics will do the same thing.

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike stenson View Post
    Outside the US manual transmissions are still common. Inside the US, a very small percentage of people can actually drive one. For instance, if I rent a car in Germany it's significantly more expensive if it's an auto. When was the last time you saw a manual available for rent in the US? It's a market issue solely.

    I'm unhappy with this, because I prefer a manual as well.
    You may not if you had to drive in a big city. I had to drive a car with a manual transmission in New York City one time. My left leg was tired by the time I was done.

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    You may not if you had to drive in a big city. I had to drive a car with a manual transmission in New York City one time. My left leg was tired by the time I was done.
    I've driven in London, DC, Munich, Paris, San Francisco, LA, Berlin and NY with a manual
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Elfert View Post
    The Allison transmission in my converted bus will shift up to a higher gear automatically if RPMs get too high even if I have manually selected a lower gear. This causes me issues when I want to use third gear because the Jake brake is most effective in third gear. If I don't select third gear before starting downhill the RPMs will often get too high and the transmission will go to 4th even though I have selected 3rd.

    I bet other modern automatics will do the same thing.
    The grade braking in mine works great. If going downhill, with foot off throttle, if the truck picks up speed, it will downshift on it's own, and adjust rpms automatically so the shift is not so severe. Maybe with a Jake brake, the software disables grade braking. Does it have a Tow/Haul mode?

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Kreinhop View Post
    My retirement present to me was a new truck to replace my 2003 Ford Ranger Edge with the 5-speed manual transmission. I didn't want a four-door truck because I wanted as much bed as possible for hauling stuff. Of all the trucks available in Germany (or maybe even Europe), only the Ford Ranger was available in two-door, super cab, or four-door version. All other manufacturers offered only the four-door version. My next challenge was finding a dealer who had what I wanted in stock so I didn't have to order it and wait six to nine months for delivery.

    I found a Ford dealer north of Frankfurt that had over 150 Rangers on it's lot. Over a dozen were two-door, a couple dozen were super cabs, and the rest were four doors. I bought the 2019 model year Ford Ranger Wildtrak super cab with a 3.2L 5-cylinder turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission (it has the parking brake handle between the seats).

    Where was you new Ranger made? I was surprised my 2000 ranger automatic used a private party, French made, transmission and had been for years. Being the number one selling Ford I would expect ford to make the trnasmisson.
    I hear the mustang is the only ford car sold in the use anymore. The engine and transmission are made in China.
    Bil lD.

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike stenson View Post
    I haven't seen one of those on a manual transmission. Thankfully, because that'd just be stupid for the exact reason you mentioned
    I drove both a Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla for years with that configuration.

  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.
    I would have said "has already disappeared." 100% of the trucks in the regional used listing are Super Cab or Extended Cab trucks. Useless to me - I would much rather have the bed space.

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